Shopping
FARMERS MARKETS
~ by Lee Edgren courtesy photos
“ at a farmers market is like gardening without all of the hard work,” says Brown County’ s David Seastrom.“ The experience reminds me of attending a music or art festival, and it’ s fair to say a farmers market is a food festival.”
Brown County is blessed with two weekly markets. The Nashville Indiana Farmers Market enters its second year on Sunday, May 6( open 11 a. m. to 2 p. m. on Sundays until October 28), while the Bean Blossom Farmers Market begins its sixth year Friday, May 25( open 4 to 7 p. m., Fridays until August 31).
The magic arises as the community comes together— shoppers, growers, artisans, and musicians. It just wouldn’ t be Brown County if there weren’ t live music. But just as music festivals depend on an amazing amount of varied work, so does the magic of the markets.
Both markets are entirely organized by volunteers. And both markets are seeking more volunteers. Just as growing food is labor intensive, so is conducting a market. Torrie Rae anecdotally describes the coming together of the Nashville Farmer’ s Market:“ Elizabeth Voland initially spearheaded the market by herself. It was a monumental
52 Our Brown County • May / June 2018
task. She approached Deborah Herring, one of the owners of the Brown County Inn, who assisted with incorporation and funding and also made the inn parking lot available for a Sunday market.”
She adds that Hilary Key, owner of The Toy Chest, is volunteering to work with children’ s programming( which will start off with face painting and“ huge bubbles”), Jayme Hood with music, Sara Dye with growers, Kara Hammes with handbooks and more. Torrie Rae, whose passion for seeds and growing is seemingly boundless, has taken on the position of Market Master this year.“ While I volunteer an enormous number of hours, having a small stipend underscores the contribution of the markets to the local economy.”
County commissioners supported the markets by listening to market organizers who requested a reduction in the amount the county charges for a vendors’ license. They reduced it to a $ 25-per-season fee that even small growers can afford.
Both markets have procedures that allow SNAP purchases. Both have procedures for incorporating handmade goods in the market, according to each market’ s